How to Make an Access Request

How to Make an Access Request

You may ask a public body for access to any record, including your own personal information, under the Access to Information Act (ATIA).

Note: ATIA came into force on June 11, 2025, and repealed and replaced the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP).

You may ask a health custodian for access to your own health information under the Health Information Act (HIA).

You may ask a private sector organization for access to your own personal information under the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA).

Note: in this document, "organizations" refers to public bodies, health custodians and private sector organizations.

To make a formal access to information request under Alberta's access and privacy laws:

  1. You must submit your access request directly to the organization that you believe has custody or control of the records you are seeking.
  2. Under ATIA and PIPA, your access request must be in writing. HIA allows a custodian to accept an oral request for access but a written request is recommended. Please retain a copy of a written access request, as the OIPC may ask you to produce the copy if a review of the response is requested. (ATIA allows for oral requests if your English is limited or to accommodate a disability. PIPA allows an organization to provide alternate means for requesting access if you are unable to make a written request.)
  3. You may ask for a copy of the records or ask to examine the records.
  4. Your request must provide enough detail to help the organization identify what records or information you are asking for. Please say that the request is made pursuant to ATIA, HIA or PIPA.  This helps make it clear that you are making a formal access request, which may be reviewable by the OIPC.

Under ATIA it is a requirement that you provide enough detail to enable the public body to locate and identify the record within a reasonable time with reasonable effort. If a request does not provide enough detail, the public body may request further information from the applicant that is necessary to process the request, and the applicant has 30 business days to respond with the information being requested. A request can be abandoned by the public body if this information is not provided and it is necessary to process the request.

  1. There may be fees associated with processing your access request. A fee estimate must be provided to you before your request is processed. You may ask the organization to waive the fees. If your fee waiver request is denied, you may ask the OIPC to review that decision. You may also ask the OIPC to review whether the organization calculated fees correctly.
  2. Under ATIA a public body must make every reasonable effort to respond to a request not later than 30 business days after the request. The public body can take a time extension under the Act for up to an additional 30 business days or even longer “for additional reasonable periods” for certain circumstances.

For HIA, organizations have 30 calendar days to respond to your request.  The time limits for response can be extended in certain circumstances.

Under PIPA, organizations have 45 calendar days to respond to your request. The time limits for response can be extended in certain circumstances. You may ask the OIPC to review a failure to respond within the time limit.

You may ask the OIPC to review whether an extension taken by an organization was appropriate. However, if you have received your records, the Commissioner may exercise discretion not to proceed with a review on this basis.

Resources for Making an Access to Information Request

Making an Access to Information Request to the OIPC

The OIPC is subject to ATIA, except for records that are excluded under section 4(1)(d).

Section 4(1)(d) of the ATIA excludes records that are created by or on behalf of or is in the custody or under the control of the Commissioner and relates to the exercise of the Commissioner's functions under ATIA, FOIP, HIA, PIPA or the Protection of Privacy Act (POPA).

An access to information request to the OIPC must be in writing and must provide enough detail to enable OIPC to identify the record.

June 2025

Disclaimer

This document is not intended as, nor is it a substitute for, legal advice, and is not binding on the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta. Responsibility for compliance with the law (and any applicable professional or trade standards or requirements) remains with each organization, custodian or public body. All examples used are provided as illustrations. The official versions of the laws the OIPC oversees and their associated regulations should be consulted for the exact wording and for all purposes of interpreting and applying the legislation. The Acts are available on the website of Alberta King's Printer.